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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23234188">Slithering</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/heaven_s_gate/pseuds/heaven_s_gate'>heaven_s_gate</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman &amp; Terry Pratchett</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bookshop Snake Crowley (Good Omens), Caretaking, Fluff, M/M, Only Softness, Other, Snake Crowley (Good Omens), Tenderness, crowley retreats into snake form and zira takes care of him basically, i don't know how to describe this..., not pet play, soft</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:01:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>949</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23234188</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/heaven_s_gate/pseuds/heaven_s_gate</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Crowley spent a long time as a snake following the events of the almost-Armageddon. Aziraphale supposed it made him feel safe; being small, almost undetectable if you didn't look close enough. Considering all they had been through, he quite frankly didn't blame him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aziraphale &amp; Crowley (Good Omens), Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>66</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Slithering</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Crowley spent a long time as a snake following the events of the almost-Armageddon. Aziraphale supposed it made him feel safe; being small, almost undetectable if you didn't look close enough. Considering all they had been through, he quite frankly didn't blame him. He knew they were supposed to be safe, for now, but who knew when or where someone from Heaven or Hell would turn up and attempt to execute them once again. So Crowley stayed in his serpentine form, albeit a much smaller version, and Aziraphale looked after him.</p><p>☆</p><p>If he was honest, in the beginning of Crowley's stint as a serpent, Aziraphale rather missed him. It came out of nowhere, without any warning, on the second day of the rest of their lives. One minute, Crowley was asleep peacefully on the couch in Aziraphale's study, long limbs spread as far as they seemed to stretch. The next minute, he was curled up in a scaly pile, still sleeping. Aziraphale was startled witless upon coming into the room and finding a snake on his couch, and was very annoyed to realize it had only been Crowley. At first he assumed it was a prank, and attempted to wake up his friend and ask him to please stop the silliness and if he cared for some coffee and breakfast. Crowley just looked up at him with those same golden eyes and went back to sleep. Feeling rather miffed, Aziraphale made himself a nice meal and opened up shop.</p><p>"I do hope you aren't planning on staying like this while I'm working," Aziraphale commented.</p><p>The snake just stared at him.</p><p>"Y-yes, right," he said, "well, if you promise to behave yourself and not frighten off all of the customers," he paused, thoughtful, "actually, feel free to do <em>that</em>, just...don't damage any of the merchandise, if you please."</p><p>Crowley blinked. He slithered his way off of Aziraphale's couch and into one of his shop's front window panes, basking in the sun.</p><p><em>Ah, yes</em>, Aziraphale thought, <em>that shall do quite nicely. Scare them away before they've even come in.</em> He smiled to himself, and began the days work.</p><p>☆</p><p>"Crowley," the angel said, shaking the snake gently awake, "Crowley my dear I'm closing up shop for the evening, you're free to come with me back to the study."</p><p>Crowley made his way up Aziraphale's arm and onto his shoulder, retrieving an undignified <em>oh, oh my!</em> from the startled angel. </p><p>"Well. Come on then." Aziraphale made his way up the stairs.</p><p>"I don't suppose you're hungry?" he asked, looking to his right shoulder where his friend had rested his head.</p><p>Crowley smelled the air at that, moving his head in a way that almost seemed like nodding. </p><p>"Wonderful. I'm positively peckish," Aziraphale said with a smile, then stopped, abruptly, "Oh dear. What do snakes eat?"</p><p><em>Meat</em>, his brain seemed to supply, in a rather familiar voice. </p><p>Aziraphale laughed.</p><p>☆</p><p>Later that night, following a lovely meal of sashimi that was eaten with both grace and ferocity, respectively, Aziraphale began to "settle in", as it were. He, of course, did not need to sleep, (or eat, for that matter, but he found it quite pleasurable, as you can surely tell) and would spend his nights reading, organising, or finding some other way to spend his time. Many nights, especially as of late, he spent drinking and laughing with Crowley. A pang of melancholy washed over him. </p><p><em>Oh, I do wish he'd become his old self again, and soon, how I miss our talks</em>, he thought, <em>perhaps he's been cursed somehow? Something I overlooked?</em></p><p>He suddenly felt something very cold begin to creep into his coat sleeve. </p><p>"<em>Good Lord</em>, Crowley!" Aziraphale said with a jump, "You nearly discorportated me! What's all this, then?"</p><p>Cold, he heard, in his mind. </p><p>"Ah, my apologies then. Cold-blooded and all, yes..." he trailed off, feeling a weight settle on his shoulders, underneath his collar. </p><p>Aziraphale spent the night reading any books he could find on the subject of herpetology and the care of snakes.</p><p>So was their routine.</p><p>Crowley would rest in the sun, or wriggle around the bookshelves during the day as Aziraphale worked. At night, they would have dinner together, and then Crowley would fall asleep somewhere on Aziraphale. Most nights he slept wrapped loosely around the angel's neck, but some he would spend inside of Aziraphale's vest or coat, near his heart. </p><p>"My dear," Aziraphale wondered aloud, one night, after some time had passed since the world had almost ended, "I do believe I heard you once mention houseplants. How is it you care for them while you are always here, with me, like this?"</p><p><em>They'll be fine</em>, the angel heard Crowley say, but not really, <em>wouldn't dare wilt while I'm away.</em></p><p>Aziraphale thought this over for a moment. "But do you miss them? I have been meaning to pick one up for the shop, heard it's good for the air and all that. Lord knows there's a rather ghastly smell in here."</p><p>Crowley said nothing, for a while. Aziraphale worried, thinking maybe he shouldn't have asked. A few minutes later, a very tiny voice said a simple <em>yes</em>, and that was that. </p><p>☆</p><p>Aziraphale felt rather proud of himself with his choice of plant purchase. </p><p><em>Sansevieria trifasciata. Snake plant.</em> He chuckled to himself. </p><p>Crowley found it less funny, he could tell. If it was possible for a snake to roll their eyes, Crowley was surely doing just that. </p><p>"Come now, my dear, you can surely see why I find it so amusing," Aziraphale said, eyes fixed on a book. He could feel Crowley glaring at him, even though he couldn't see him. He smiled to himself.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! Lmk if you want me to continue, I have some ideas for a second chapter. &lt;3</p></blockquote></div></div>
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